1
as in curious
interested in what is not one's own business
as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited
prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in questioning
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pulling
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever
it took some effort to pry up the trap door
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in yanking
to draw out by force or with effort
a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle
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as in interfering
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
don't go prying into other people's business
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prying
Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Adjective
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying -- and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prying
Adjective
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And that loose definition is driving a post-pandemic innovation boom in this curious corner of the cycling world.—
Chris Cona,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2025
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Then there is the curious case of an unreleased snippet making its way into one of UFC fighter Payton Talbott’s YouTube vlogs which is significant because he and Ocean have been linked romantically since the singer posted Talbott on social media during Valentine’s Day.—
Angel Diaz,
Billboard,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And while Christophe had been busy developing a national school system during his reign, under Boyer, and all subsequent presidents, such projects had to be put on hold.—
Marlene L. Daut,
The Conversation,
16 Apr. 2025
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Check-in is seamless, but the hotel has only six parking spots and availability may be limited, especially on busy weekends, so plan to park across or down the street just in case.—
Katie Kelly Bell,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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After two lengthy days of questioning, a jury has been selected in the bribery trial of Democratic state Sen. Emil Jones III, who is accused of conspiring to accept $5,000 and other perks from a red-light camera company executive in exchange for his help with legislation in Springfield.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
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Sixteen people were selected to act as jurors last week in Vallow Daybell’s trial over Vallow's death after a day of questioning in Maricopa County Superior Court.—
Miguel Torres,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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An inquisitive crowd was lined up down the Leonard Street sidewalk, where performers dressed in rose gold dresses welcomed guests into the annual Tribeca Ball.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
16 Apr. 2025
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In the coming years, across sectors, curious and inquisitive individuals who demonstrate strong learning agility, and an ability to fuse human and machine skills will become top talent.—
Amanda Kavanagh | This Column was created by Jobbio,
The Hill,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In addition to subjecting them to electric shocks for interrogations, guards would force prisoners to stand in uncomfortable positions and then hit them in the genitals or knock them to the ground, according to Shyshko.—
Patrick Reevell,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2025
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Some insurers now require departments to adopt early warning systems, improve interrogation protocols, or demonstrate compliance with best practices as a condition of coverage.—
Michelle Mbekeani,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Inviting yourself when you’re not wanted could come off as intrusive at best, rude at worst.—
Paul Smaglik,
Discover Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
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This is going to be so helpful because it’s positioned in a way that’s not intrusive.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Treasury Department on Wednesday sent an inquiry to the IRS’s acting chief counsel, Andrew De Mello, asking the agency to rescind Harvard’s tax-exempt status, according to The Washington Post.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2025
-
While there have been a few inquiries, Iggy still hasn't found his forever home.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Politico broke the real-estate news by chatting with nosy neighbors and tracking data on the Meta CEO’s private jet.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
3 Apr. 2025
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Jenny encourages us to be nosy, which isn’t about gossip.—
Nirit Cohen,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prying. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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